Have you ever pulled out your favorite nail polish ready to give yourself a fresh new mani only to end up nearly spraining your wrist trying to get it open? Or reached into your purse for a midday powder that left you with crumbs of your compact all over your fingers? These annoying little beauty mishaps may be commonplace, but that doesn’t mean you need to settle for smashed lipstick. At MDC, we’ve seen it all and now we’re fixing it all.

Cracked Compact

Save it: Add a few drops of rubbing alcohol to the compact–you can always add more as you go. Use a butter knife, spatula or any flat (and clean!) tool to push down the broken pieces and smooth the powder back into shape. Allow the powder to dry for a few hours before using.
Prevent it: When traveling with pressed powders, place a cotton pad inside the compact. This will help cushion the blow of any swift, purse-swinging movements.

Smashed Lipstick

Save it: Use a hairdryer or lighter to warm up the smashed product slightly, making it more pliable. Mash the product back together as best you can and leave the lipstick to harden in the refrigerator for about an hour. It won’t be pretty, but it will be useable. If the tube is a goner, scoop the lipstick into old contact case or pill organizer and use a lip brush when applying.
Prevent it: Avoid the broken bullet all together and scoop all of your lipsticks into a pill organizer to make yourself a lipstick palette like the pros use!

Missing Aerosol Cap

Save it: Fortunately, many companies use the same packaging; so try replacing the missing cap with one from another aerosol can. Point the nozzle away from your face and gently press it down onto the stem.
Prevent it: To prevent future disappearing acts, tape the cap to your aerosol cans shut when traveling.

Dried Nail Polish

Save it: Fill a cup with hot water. Holding the nail polish bottle from the bottom, submerge the top in the water and hold it there for a few minutes. This will loosen the dried nail polish. Then wrap a rubber band around the cap and twist it open with ease.
Prevent it: Next time you finishing painting your nails, clean up the rim of the bottle with a little polish remover to prevent drips from drying in the cap. And when you do see dried polish on the cap, peel it off with tweezers.

Goopy Nail Polish

Save it: To restore your lacquer to its original consistency, add 2-3 drops of nail polish thinner and roll the bottle in your hands. Don’t, however, follow the old wives tale and use nail polish remover, which has ingredients that can break down the formula and ruin your lacquer.
Prevent it: Store your nail polish in a cool, dark and dry place (aka not your bathroom). Keeping your lacquers away from warm temperatures and temperature changes is the easiest way to prevent your polish from premature consistency change.

Broken Perfume Pump

Save it: This one may be beyond repair. Instead, return it to the store where you bought it.
Prevent it: There’s no guarantee your favorite spritzer won’t end up on the fritz, so before you buy ask what the store’s return policy is for faulty packaging.
Have you ever tried any of these fixes? Let us know how it turned out in the comments.
Photos: Thinkstock